- 1Restoration
Run a one-hour "flashlight" check on your tech before adding more AI
In R&R this week, Taylor Carmichael, Director of Systems at Southeast Restoration, lays out a simple October exercise for restoration leaders. Before buying another tool, list the systems you can't run without, make sure every employee knows what to do right after they click a suspicious link, find the automations running under one person's login, and trace your five most-used numbers back to where they come from. Her point on AI is that it makes bad data louder, not cleaner, so pick one real business problem, give it an owner, and decide up front what success looks like.
Source: R&R, "The Real Technology Horror Stories Haunting Restoration Companies" (Oct. 5)
Read the source →What to try: Block 60 minutes with your leadership team this month, work through her five questions on a whiteboard, and leave with one action, one owner, and one due date for each.
- 2Small business
Free, in-person AI workshops are coming through some local SBDCs
OpenAI and America's SBDC, the association for the nationwide Small Business Development Center network, announced a pilot where OpenAI trains SBDC advisors to run hands-on AI workshops for small business owners. The goal is to reach more than 1,000 small businesses in the first round, and advisors and owners who finish a workshop get free access to ChatGPT Plus. Dates and locations haven't been announced yet; the pilot starts in a first group of states and rolls out in phases over the coming months.
Source: America's SBDC press release (Sept. 30)
Read the source →What to try: Call or email your nearest SBDC office and ask to be told when an AI workshop is scheduled in your area. SBDC advising is already free, so ask about their other help while you're at it.
- 3Restoration software
A restoration AI that flags missing photos and readings across jobs
TRUERESTORE, a field documentation and estimating platform for mitigation contractors, launched Ripple to all its customers at no extra cost. Ripple works from each job's own moisture readings, drying data, photos, and notes. A tech can ask by voice what's still wet, have it draft a work note, or generate a summary of loss, photo, or moisture report. It also spots jobs missing photos, readings, or moisture maps. Every change it makes goes to the user to confirm first.
Source: C&R, "TRUERESTORE Launches Ripple" (Oct. 1)
Read the source →What to try: Whatever documentation software you use, ask your rep one question: can it show me every open job that's missing photos, readings, or a moisture map? If the answer is no, you know where to look before the next estimate goes out.
- 4Remodeling software
Buildertrend expands its AI for client updates, bills, and plans
Buildertrend, the project management software many remodelers and builders use, announced a round of AI and platform updates. AI Client Updates, first released in 2025, drafts client communications, AI Bill Capture pulls the data off bills and receipts so nobody has to key it in, AI Plans organizes plan sets, and AI Submittals manages the submittal log and approvals. It also announced a Sage Intacct integration, AIA-style progress invoicing, and a new mobile app. Buildertrend is holding a live webinar on these features on October 21.
Source: Buildertrend press release (Sept. 29)
Read the source →What to try: If you're on Buildertrend, turn on AI Client Updates for one active job this month and compare the drafts to what your project manager would normally send. Edit before anything goes out.
- 5Home services
ServiceTitan wants homeowners to book contractors through AI assistants
At its Pantheon conference today, ServiceTitan announced Homh, a platform that makes participating ServiceTitan contractors findable and bookable when homeowners, or the AI assistants working for them, search for help. ServiceTitan says Homh works with ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude and shows real-time availability and confirmed bookings. It also opened its Max AI package to all residential in-home contractors and released Atlas, a phone app where owners can ask questions about sales and revenue.
Source: ServiceTitan press release (Oct. 6)
Read the source →What to try: Ask ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude, "Who should I call for water damage (or a kitchen remodel) in [your town]?" and see whether your company comes up. If it doesn't, check that your Google Business Profile, reviews, and website clearly list your services and service area.
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https://agenticsolutions.biz/brief/2026-10-06